Automobiles are towed for a variety of reasons. When the towing distances involved are short, no major problems need be expected. When the towing distances are longer, however, a high risk of damaging the automatic transmission of the towed vehicle develops.
For rear wheel drive vehicles, the prior art has proposed at least two solutions. First, the towed vehicle may be towed on a trailer, thereby avoiding contact between the ground and the rear wheels of the vehicle. This solution comprises an expensive and awkward solution. In addition, towing a vehicle in this way does not ensure efficient mileage for the towing vehicle.
As an alternative solution, some operators disconnect the drive shaft of the towed vehicle. Once disconnected, the automatic transmission will no longer experience wear or damage during the towing operation.
For front wheel drive vehicles, disconnection of the drive train from the wheels does not constitute a generally acceptable solution. While disconnection of the drive shaft in a rear wheel drive vehicle can be accomplished in a rather straightforward manner, our front wheel drive vehicles present problems that make this alternative less than desirable.
As a result, auxiliary lubrication pumps have been utilized. Such lubrication pumps are utilized to keep transmission fluid moving through the existing transmission lubrication circuit to ensure that the transmission will not be damaged when towing the vehicle.
Though this represents an adequate solution to the problem, certain concerns still exist. For instance if the lubrication pump should fail, or if the transmission fluid hoses should break or become uncoupled, or if power should be accidently diverted, or any other mishaps develop, then protection to the automatic transmission will be denied and no warning will be provided to the operator of the towing vehicle. As a result, the precise damage sought to be avoided can result.
In an attempt to alleviate this problem, some prior art devices have included pump monitors and the like that provide a signal to the operator in the event that the pump does not operate properly. Even these efforts have not been wholly satisfactory. For instance, the pump can continue operating, but the fluid hoses can become defective for a number of reasons, and the existence of this situation will not be imparted to the operator. Further, the prior art systems do not provide any appropriate warning of power failures.
There therefore exists a need for an auxiliary lubrication pump apparatus that provides adequate lubrication protection for an automatic transmission in a towed vehicle and that further provides assurances to an operator in a towing vehicle that the lubrication pump apparatus continues to operate in an appropriate manner. In addition, such an apparatus should be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, durable and reliable.